Across Another Dimension
by Gin-Nee
Summary: Knocked out by a blue light, Kenya landed upon an unknown planet as she realized her life was about to change.  She was a different creature ... species altogether.  With the help of the hero of the universe, will Kenya be able to make it home as a human?
1. Prologue

**Across Another Dimension **

**Author's Note: **Hey, everybody. I haven't been on for a while. University has gotten in the way of writing anything for fandoms. Well, I'm back with a brand new story. What about my other stories? I'm going to delete them. The more I read over them … the more I cringe. I'm going to start anew on this account. Anyway, the story is based on _Ratchet & Clank_. It based after the whole series, so it is a future based after the future. If you got that sentence … kudos to that reader. Well, I'm sure none of you want to read a page of author's note, even if I do have a page worth to type about. Without farther ado, here is the prologue for my newest story.

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><p>-<strong>Prologue: Launch to Space-<strong>

"Everything looks ready and raring to go," the engineer muttered. "I need to get away from this planet for a while. Let's just hope that the space station is ready for Kenya McClain. This planet needs to behave."

"No need to be bitter at the planet, McClain," a voice appeared on her radio transmitter. "Your ex-fiancé cheated, and you got rid of him. It's time to move on. Going to the space station might help clear your head. I'm just glad that the event didn't hinder your training."

The astronaut rolled her eyes as she shut the transmitter off. Having him yap in your ear was enough to make one's head spin. She looked at her partner and growled. He just had to be her partner. Of course, they had planned this trip since he asked her to marry him. The other astronaut just smiled before turning to push some buttons for takeoff. The space station had needed to be fixed, and they agreed to go into space to fix it. The preparations took a few months; the both of them needed to be trained in fixing the space station. She just pushed a few more buttons on as the thrusters started. The guy looked at her before beginning to speak in a hushed tone, "Kenya, this is strictly professional. Do not let your emotions get in the way of this trip. If one blanks out, then the space shuttle could become inept. You, of all people, should know this very well."

"Shut up, Clark," she hissed. "I know all of that very well. I know it _very _well. You're an ass for bringing that incident back into light. Everybody took the priority of forgetting about it the best that they can. It was nobody's fault according to the investigators."

"Yes, of course," he said, smirking inside the helmet. "It's _nobody's _fault."

Before she could get another word in, the countdown had started for the ship to launch. The woman just sighed as she gripped her seat. It took every ounce of her will just to climb back into a space ship after the incident a year ago. It took those months of training just for others to convince her to go. Her mind was still telling to disengage from this trip to the space station. Clark gripped the wheel as the countdown ended. The white and blank ship blasted off as people clapped in the background. Kenya held her breath as she tried to relax her muscles. It was going to be an interesting ride to the space station. She couldn't wait to get out of the shuttle. The woman didn't mind space; she just hated riding in shuttles. Kenya had to question the reason she was still an astronaut.

**[A Few Hours Later]**

Kenya looked out the window of the space shuttle as she saw the stars passing by. The woman just sighed as she realized autopilot was engaged by Clark. He was currently asleep as she just walked around the shuttle. The shuttle would get to the space station in around two hours. She had been awake for that long. The woman was afraid to fall asleep. Sitting in the driver's seat, she just watched the emptiness called space as her eyes drifted closed. She opened her eyes quickly as a blue light rocketed through the shuttle. The ship jerked as she grabbed the wheel. Autopilot was turned off upon contact. Gulping, she looked for the space station. It was still nowhere in sight. Clark walked into the control room as he looked around. The blue light was coming back around. It looked stronger than it was the first time. Kenya gripped the steering control as she tried to move away from the light. It rocketed through the shuttle as everything started to shut down. Green eyes looked frightened as Kenya passed out from the shock. She barely heard a bump as Clark had fallen unconscious a few seconds before her. Darkness enveloped her as she figured this was one way to die.

**[Outskirts of City]**

Eyes blinked upon as Kenya moaned from the pain. Did they crash back on Earth? How'd they survive if that was the case? These thoughts flew through her mind as she looked around a little dazed from the events. Plants grew around them, and strange creatures ran past. It definitely wasn't planet Earth. Groaning, she sat straight as she looked at the destruction of the space shuttle. It was all in pieces except for the major parts of the ship. Remembering the bane of her existence, Kenya quickly surveyed the area for him. Finding his body, the woman crawled toward him. Her legs were still too weak to stand. After a few minutes, she managed to be right next to him.

"Clark?" she whispered, nudging his shoulder. "Come on, Clark. We're on some kind of planet. What happens if we found some kind of alien planet? Clark, wake up! We need to find a way to contact NASA. Clark!"

Getting frustrated, she rolled him over on his back. The sight made her scream. Clasping a hand on her mouth, Kenya realized fur was in her mouth. She looked at her hand. It was strawberry blonde, the color of her hair, and had claws. The four fingers didn't throw her off either. Standing, she looked at her partner one more time. His entire face was burned off. She bit her lip before yowling. Sharp canines … she had teeth like an animal. Managing to spot a stream close by, the woman stumbled over to look at her reflection. She fainted upon the sight of a female feline like creature. It had strawberry blonde fur, two big, fluffy ears, green crystal eyes, and a tail that flickered back and forth on occasion. Kenya had fainted at the stream, her hand wading in the water. The hand of a different creature.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>The prologue of the story _Across Another Dimension_. In the event, I was planning on having Kenya turn into a Lombax, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed unoriginal. She is a species that I have created. It will be explained eventually through the story, but at the moment, it sounds as if she is Lombax. In fact, she's another kind of feline creature altogether. Hope you had a fun read of the prologue. Reviews are encouraging. Favorites are nice, but not as nearly as nice as reviews.


	2. Chapter One

**-Chapter One: Different Altogether-**

Creatures screamed as a wrench hit them. The owner of the wrench just groaned as he trekked through the jungle outside the city. His companion insisted on investigating the crash that happened a few hours before his adventure. Tan and brown furred ears flickered as he listened for any more dangerous creatures. He really wasn't in the mood for a trip. The workshop that he had set up wasn't getting as many customers anymore, so the bills were not getting paid. A bad mood was his current mood. The small robot disengaged from his back and started walking around. They were getting close to their destination as smoke was clearly seen from the impact of the crash. A tail flickered as the creature picked up a piece of the shuttle. He had never seen this type of technology; it seemed less advanced then the kind he was used to in this galaxy. The robot walked over to a figure before he just sighed in exasperation, "Ratchet, come, take a look. Someone did not survive the crash."

The Lombax walked over to his partner before he turned away from the body. The burnt off face showed the bone, muscles and some of the brain. He hadn't seen anything this gory for a while since his battles to save the universe seemed to have diminished exceptionally. The Lombax scanned the area as he tried to see if anybody else was in the vicinity. He noticed footprints walking in a certain direction. He knew there was a stream a few feet ahead. Walking over as his robot friend studied the carcass, Ratchet noticed a different creature by the river. Its hand was in the water as it swayed back and forth. He noticed that it was some kind of feline creature, but it wasn't a Lombax. Rolling the creature over, he realized it was a female. It was then he noticed she was still breathing.

"Clank!" he called. "Come quickly! There is another person here. They are still alive! We must get her to a hospital to make sure she doesn't have internal bleeding as it looks like she doesn't have any external bleeding."

Clank quickly walked over to him as Ratchet picked the passed out female up bridal style. Clank quickly latched onto his back before they used his jet upgrade to get to the city quicker. By the time they landed, the sun had gone down for the day. Ratchet ran into the hospital, and a nurse immediately sent for a bed for the female in his arms. Ratchet and Clank followed them to the room that they had placed her in. The doctor quickly checked her over before deciding that she was okay just needed some rest. Ratchet heard Clank sigh in relief as they sat in one of the many empty chairs. Both of them needed some answers from her after she had awakened. Why did the ship crash? What was the creature that was with her? Who was she? Ratchet blinked as he went to ask his friend a question, "What species is she, Clank? Do you know? I haven't encountered one before. And you, being with the Great Clock and all, I figured you might know a little bit about them."

"She seems to be a Tigerix," answered Clank. "In simple explanation, the Tigerix are a species that are normally confused with the Lombax. Tigerix have the long ears, stripes, and tails. The thing to tell them apart is the fact the females do have tails, and they are shorter than their male counterpart. Though, I do not know why she does not have the stripes. Maybe, she'll be able to shed some light on the subject once awakened."

Ratchet just nodded as he continued to watch the Tigerix breath in her sleep. He had never encountered a Tigerix, so he must have never visited their planet in any of his travels. Clank just shut down as he figured the female would be out for quite some time. The Lombax nodded off to sleep after an hour or two from complete boredom. Green eyes fluttered open as Kenya coughed from sleeping for so long. Her throat and mouth were parched from the lack of water (or saliva). Coughing once more, she sat in bed grimacing at the aching of her muscles. How long was she out for? White was all she saw before realizing the building that she was currently in. A hospital? Somebody must have found her, or she was dreaming. Looking at her hands, the woman knew she wasn't dreaming. They were still covered in strawberry blonde fur. She continued to look around the room. An IV was placed on her arm as it dripped some kind of liquid. She was a different species; the woman had the right to think that the liquid wasn't something used on Earth. A cup of water, with a pill, was next to her bed. Grabbing the water and pill, she took both at the same time. The water helped her mouth and throat and the pill, instantly, made her aching muscles a lot better. Sighing in pain free release, Kenya noticed that somebody walked into the room. Obviously male, she noticed he looked like her.

"Oh," said Ratchet, "you're awake. It's about time. You've been sleeping for almost two days. Must have been some crash, huh? Anyway, the doctor said once you woke up, you can leave. Plus, figuring that you crash landed on this planet, I'll allow you to stay with me until an apartment and job can be found. By the way, who are you?"

"Kenya," she spoke hoarsely. "Kenya McClain. Do you know where I am? Or what I am? I was in a space shuttle for NASA to repair a space station when some weird blue light descended upon us and knocked out all of our controls. When I awoke, Clark … Clark was … Clark was …"

"Burned alive while the ship crashed," Clank commented while appearing. "We do not know how you survived when he did not. And, what kind of species was he? I do not know of that species in this galaxy."

Kenya blinked at the robot. He was speaking to her in a clear tone. He was speaking to her. Robots weren't that advanced on Earth. Did he just say another galaxy? The heart monitor, that she was connected too, started going off at an erratic rate. Ratchet placed a hand on the Tigerx's shoulder to calm her down. Placing stress on her heart was not going to help her heal. She looked at Ratchet with slits for pupils. The woman quickly pushed his hand away before curling on the bed. He managed to catch her whispering underneath her breath, "I'm not here. I'm dreaming. Dreams can hurt you. They can. I'm still human. There is no fur all over my body the same color as my hair. I don't have a tail. I'm still in the Milky Way galaxy. I'll wake in a few minutes, and be on my bed mourning over the fact that Clark cheated on me with some slut."

The Lombax didn't know exactly to say when he noticed she had started to cry unknowingly. His ears dropped back in a sad way as he just watched her mumble and cry. Something happened to her while she was in her ship. Something she didn't quite comprehend. Clank just jumped on the bed to help her through the whole ordeal. He knew Ratchet was quite useless when it came to a female crying. The Lombax just puffed out his cheeks before walking out of the room. Kenya looked at the robot as she sniffled. Tears were tasted on her tongue as the salty things slowly rolled into her mouth. She took her hands and wiped them away. She was done crying. Crying was all she did when Clark had cheated on her. Clank waited until she stopped crying with a hiccup here and there, "Miss, what are humans? Are they not from this galaxy? Is there something you need to talk about?"

"H-Homo sapiens," she whispered. "Humans are the dominant species on a planet named Earth. Earth is in a galaxy called the Milky Way galaxy. W-Why am I not human? W-What am I?"

"I do not know why you are not this homo sapien as you have explained; however, I can explain the species that you seem to be at the current moment. You are a species called Tigerix. A Tigerix is a species of feline in this galaxy. They closely resemble the Lombax which is my friend that you were talking to for a moment. I do not know why you don't have the species' stripes. I can theorize that the species is not your true species, so the stripes are not existent."

Kenya just nodded as Ratchet walked back into the room. He noticed that she had stopped crying, so he gave her something to eat. It looked like meat, but she wasn't sure if it was meat or not. Ratchet just chuckled as he saw her poke at the meat on the plate, "It's not poison. I promise. I've eaten millions of times before I have given it to you. And, it is meat. Just, probably not the kind you are probably used to, Kenya. Go ahead; try it."

Taking his word for it, Kenya cautiously placed a piece in her mouth. Chewing on it, she noticed the flavor and texture did taste pretty good. Smiling, she began to eat more of it. Ratchet and Clank just smiled at each other as they realized she was probably famished after sleeping for so long. After cleaning the plate, she just placed it on the night table as she yawned once more. A full stomach made a happy Tigerix. A happy Tigerix meant a more talkative one. She just smiled at the both of them before deciding to speak, "Thank you for saving me. I shouldn't have freaked about my predicament. It's just a little hard to take in. Please, forgive me."

"It's fine, Miss Kenya," Clank began. "We understand perfectly your reason for freaking out. I'm sure Ratchet would be freaking out too if he was a totally different species after a horrific accident. Now, please, you are allowed to leave the hospital. We have taken the liberty of making a place for you to sleep."

After an hour, the Tigerix was out of the hospital following Ratchet and Clank to their home for the time being. Kenya was enthralled by the advanced technology that was surrounding her. Her planet couldn't even dream of these kinds of robots or flying cars. Ratchet had to chuckle at her jaw dropped expression; he didn't think that she'd be this fascinated by the city. It's not like it had evolved since he moved there with Clank. Yawning, he quickly escorted her to his home. After explaining her room, the Lombax let Kenya to her business. The Tigerix muttered her thanks before closing the door and locking it. She needed to change her clothes. The other two walked to the workshop. They needed to talk about their situation.

"All I see when my eyes are closed is bills, Clank," mumbled Ratchet. "We need to get the bills paid somehow. I really don't want to work overtime for such stupid things. Why do we have _bills_, Clank? Didn't we save the world enough times to not have to pay things such as _bills_? I hate my life right at this moment."

If he could, Clank would have rolled his eyes at the overdramatic Lombax. Ratchet had smacked his head off the desk, and it was currently still lying on the desk. He just sighed as bills flew all over the place. His robot buddy just went about collecting them as he always did when bills had come to the workshop. Ratchet was never happy when it was bill season; the Lombax just wished bill season would disappear in his house. The two of them were only interrupted when Kenya walked into the workshop. She looked around at everything in amazement. She had changed her clothes into something a nurse had got her due to the suit being basically fried in the crash to the planet. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail as she looked at the papers on desk, her tail twitching every so often. She pulled at the sleeves of her shirt as she realized they kept moving up on her arms. The sleeves ended about her elbows with pieces of material hanging to the palm of her hands. Basic blue jeans were her pants. There was a tail hole due to the whole having a tail deal in this universe. It was quite interesting getting dressed with a tail; she would never forget that first experience as long as she lives. Picking up a bill, Kenya hummed to herself as she thought about their predicament. Bills were all over the place, "Did you ever think of getting bills at a different time? For instance, getting the water bill at the first of a month, then two months later getting the electric/gas bill. It would make it much easier, and you won't use as much money in one setting."

The two friends just looked at each other before shrugging. They really have never thought about getting different bills at different dates. Ratchet just took the paper off of Kenya before placing it in a neat pile with the rest of the papers. She sat in an empty chair while watching them go about their work. She interested in the ways these people went about their business. From her observations, they seemed to go about their lives like humans do on her planet. She sighed as she realized that it was far from her current position. She didn't want to stay away from the planet for this long. She just needed a break away from it all. The woman didn't even notice her tears before Ratchet caught one. She blinked before rubbing the tears away. She was done with crying; it was all she has been doing for the past few months. Now, she had gotten her wish. She got a vacation away from all the people that caused her pain. Clark wasn't even here anymore to cause her pain. The Tigerix just laughed as she realized that he wasn't there anymore. In a way, she thought he deserved all that was done to him. The woman just laughed as she realized that the bane of her existence was gone for good. Her laughter turned to sobbing as she just broke in front of the two of them. She was different. The thoughts that ran through her mind never were her thoughts from before. She was different … different altogether.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Chapter one is finished for this newest story. I'm starting to enjoy it. I have the next few chapters written already, so I will update them on a schedule. The chapters will be updated on Tuesday and Thursday. Unless something special is written, the schedule will not be diverged. The story will not be updated except on Tuesday and Thursday. The next chapter shall be up on Thursday as today is Tuesday, and everybody already got two chapters [Prologue and Chapter One].


	3. Chapter Two

**-Chapter Two: A New Villain Appears-**

The clock beeped widely as a furry paw outstretched to turn it off. Kenya yawned as she stretched. It had been nearly four weeks since she came to this planet; it was hard to get used to all the devices that came with the advanced technology. Walking into the bathroom, she quickly stripped from her pajamas and stepped into the shower. Tiredly, she lifted a finger to tap the commands into the keyboard. A showerhead appeared as hot water started to spray out of it. The Tigerix just sighed as the water quickly ran through her fur snagging the dust and grime. Grabbing the soap, she began to vigorously wash herself to get the excess dust and grime. As her shower continued, Kenya began to think about the last four weeks. She had awoken in a hospital, met Ratchet and Clank, went through a horrible breakdown, and managed to find a job to rent an apartment. After finishing her shower, Kenya quickly grabbed a towel before heading to her room to dry off. As she finished getting ready to go, the Tigerix quickly ran out of the apartment to get to the job she had managed to get from within the city. Jumping over a few railings, she managed to get to the building in which her job was located. Her job? She was a bank teller at the city bank. It managed to give her money for food, an apartment, and all the necessary bills that came with the apartment.

"Alright," she mumbled. "Let's get today over with as fast as possible. I want to work on getting home. I miss my family, my friends, and even NASA. Downgraded to a bank teller. What a life, Kenya McClain. What a life."

"Keep talking to yourself and everybody will think you're crazy," another female bank teller said. "It's what happened to a few of our old bank tellers. They were thrown in the loony house. At least you have a job, Kenya. Some people don't have that privilege. In fact, I would have to guess if it wasn't for the fact that you know Ratchet and his partner, you wouldn't even have a job. Be happy."

Kenya just frowned as she went back to doing her job. That other worker was always on her case about getting a job, because Ratchet knew her. It wasn't the case. She told the interviewee about all her credentials due to working with NASA as an astronaut. Of course, she didn't say that word for word. If she told them her actual job, she would have been thrown in the loony house. Her day went on as normal. She counted bolt after bolt for each costumer. When this was over, Kenya was pretty sure she wouldn't want to look at another bolt ever again. She would never want to fix anything anymore. She would be out of a job back home. The woman just laughed quietly at her own thoughts. She was going absolutely bonkers over this adventure. She wasn't going to have a massive breakdown again. No, she only had two of those. One was a year ago after the accident, and the other was most recent one at Ratchet and Clank's workshop. After the bell rang, she quickly walked out of the bank without saying a word. She got paid tomorrow. Working overtime paid off a lot as she was able to get pencils, paper, and some books to read. Books about learning how to read the language. Her transmitter was transformed by Ratchet to help her speak and understand the language spoke on the planet. It helped a lot, and she had paid him for the service. Reaching a train, she squeezed between other occupants before the train took off in one direction.

"Ratchet's Workshop," she said, staring at the sign. "No wonder he doesn't get a lot of customers. His name of the workshop totally attracts attention. It's not boring at all. Maybe, just maybe, I should suggest to him a different name that would attract attention of the richer variety on this planet."

"Oh, Miss Kenya," a familiar, robotic voice came about. "I'm afraid Ratchet is not here at the moment. Do you wish to come inside? He should be back in a few hours. If you want, I can make some coffee and supper. It's the least I can do for having you come with him not here."

Kenya just nodded as she walked into the workshop. After getting past it, she sat on the couch as the Holovision screen turned on. Going to a music station, she listened to some robots singing as she smelt coffee floating from the kitchen. It smelled absolutely wonderful. The coffee wasn't exactly the same as on Earth, but it was really close to it. She saw Clank walk into the room with a cup of coffee. She thanked him softly before taking a sip. It soothed her mind and relaxed her muscles. Coffee was her number one love in the worlds. Nothing could ever take its place. Numbly, she paid attention to the TV before speaking, "What does Ratchet do while he's gone for hours on end? I don't mean to be nosy, but it has been a couple of times since I got here that he has been gone for nearly a full day. Huh, Clank?"

"Ratchet has saved the galaxy a couple of times," he answered. "He's known as the last Lombax in the entire universe. The feline is something special, and he has horrible luck with women. Every relationship that he had gotten himself into only fell in disaster. The guy has no luck in the romance part of life."

"That makes the two of us," she whispered, hugging her knees on the couch. "I had fallen in love with a man that I thought was absolutely amazing. He was smart, good at his job, and knew how to cook. Of course, we had gone on a few dates over the course of two years before he had asked my hand in marriage. I was absolutely thrilled. Two months before I ended here, I had found out he was cheating on me for some slut at a strip club. I broke it off with him, but I felt so torn up about it. He was the one that burnt to death in the crash. I-I can't believe that happened to him. No matter how much I hated him."

"I do believe that you are pure of heart, Miss Kenya," Clank said after listening. "Ratchet just has no understanding of the female mind. Maybe, you might give him some pointers. He'll learn not to say stuff that makes the female species angry. Of course, he's always busy as of late. A lot of people ask different stuff of him due to his status as a hero among the universe."

Kenya just nodded as she took another sip of her coffee. It felt as if time was going forever before she decided to leave for her apartment. As she went up the elevator, she noticed a red light flashing on her floor. As it opened, she quickly ran to her apartment only to notice the door was open. Walking in carefully, she saw a shadow rummaging through her stuff. Quickly walking over to them, she grabbed their shoulder ready to knock them out when she stepped back startled. Thoughts flew through her mind about the possibility of this not occurring. It was absolutely terrifying. He wasn't standing in front of her with half a metal face. It just wasn't possible. The figure just smiled as he dropped her stuff on the floor. Kenya started backing up as he walked toward her. She hit the stand as she realized there was nowhere else to run away. The man just smiled wickedly at her.

"Kenya, you've changed," he said in a hoarse voice. "Of course, I have changed as well. Most of my body is mechanical now. Isn't it wonderful? The technology on this planet brought me back to life. And, I figured, I would get revenge on you. You were at the wheel of the shuttle before it crashed. You just wanted to get rid of me. Therefore, I will get rid of you. Of course, I needed help, so I hired a few men to help."

Other creatures appeared throughout the apartment as she gulped. The woman had no weapon on herself to defend. She was absolutely terrified at the thought of dying without seeing her family and friends. Her mouth felt as if cotton was in it. She couldn't say absolutely anything to help her cause. The voice that she had was not working. Clark got close to her as he lifted her chin so her eyes would look into his dark blue ones. The woman just hissed as he just chuckled at her attempt to seem tough in the face of death. She whimpered after a few minutes. He was breaking her barrier that she worked hard to place. Tears streamed down her face as he just smiled even more. The half-human went to plunge his hand in her stomach when something knocked him off his feet. A wrench, like a boomerang, twirled around before landing in the hand of a familiar tan and brown Lombax. Green eyes narrowed as Ratchet smacked the wrench in his hand as a warning. Most of the grunts that Clark had hired ran out the door as quick as possible upon noticing the Lombax. Clark just frowned as he stood on his feet. A part of him sparked as he realized the wrench did some damage on his parts. Kenya quickly jumped behind her savior.

"Hmm," growled Ratchet. "I come home with Clank saying Kenya had come to visit. He said the company was nice. I went about trying to find her apartment to say thank you. Walking in, she's being attacked by some crazed lunatic that seems to have come back from the dead. Just a day in the life of a Lombax named Ratchet. What the hell do you want?"

"Revenge," Clark answered smugly. "She left me to die as she got away without a scratch. I know Kenya doesn't like me. Our mission was to be strictly professional, but she purposely crashed the shuttle for me to die. That's not professional, McClain. Not professional in the least."

"I didn't crash the shuttle, Clark," she shot back. "Some blue light knocked the system offline. We couldn't help but twirl out of control. I don't know why I survived. I don't know why I turned into a species called Tigerix. It wasn't my fault."

"Just like it wasn't your fault that shuttle crashed into the ground after takeoff a year ago," he said, smirking. "Do you know why I cheated on you? I didn't want to be with somebody that had gotten away with not being blamed for something that was entirely her fault!"

Kenya choked back a sob as she relived that memory. It wasn't her fault. It was faulty wiring. It wasn't her fault. She clutched her head as she fell to her knees. The memory wouldn't go away. Tears streamed through her fur as she pulled at her ears. It wouldn't go away. Ratchet just growled at the human before pulling Kenya out of the apartment. He wasn't going to listen to some maniac wanting revenge on the girl. Clark just laughed as he watched them leave. He would get his revenge on Kenya McClain. She would remember him as the person that broke her. The half human just walked out of the apartment to hunt his grunts. He needed them for some plotting, and maybe, even some ships.


	4. Chapter Three

**-Chapter Three: Living-**

Kenya just sat in Ratchet's room as she had another mental breakdown. Her barrier just cracked around her as she remembered the day last year. She had checked the wiring, because they had asked somebody to make sure it was okay. She had background in that field, so she said checking them would be her goal. She had checked them; they were in order. The woman didn't understand the reason for the shuttle to crash. She was inside of the shuttle. All of the team barely survived, but they did survive. Nobody blamed her for the incident except Clark. A sob was held in her throat as she tried to stop crying. Clark wanted to kill her; she had to be strong about it. A knock was heard on the door as she looked at it, "C-Come in."

The Lombax walked into the room with his tail slightly curling at the tip. He sat beside her before lying on the bed to look at the ceiling. The Tigerix tilted her head to the side as she watched him in confusion. Ratchet just smiled as he looked at her from the corner of his eye. She just smiled slightly before looking at the wall. The savior of the universe just sat straight as he laid a hand on her shoulder, "I grew up on a planet without knowing my species for the longest time. When I found out that they didn't exist anymore, I didn't know what to do. I had the chance to bring them back into this dimension. I would have been able to see my mother and father once again. Clank talked me out of it. Life was worth living with the people you know now. Not those you knew before. Living on the past will only cause pain and sorrow. Maybe, Clark couldn't let it go. You can though, right Kenya? Live for the present … neither the past nor the future."

The Tigerix just smiled at his words. She knew that Ratchet had spoken the truth, but it would take time to heal those wounds that were caused to her mentally. Kenya knew that it would take time to heal from the past. Though, she would try to live the present. It's a gift. Patting him lightly on the head, she just smiled as to confirm that she was thinking about his words. Ratchet just smiled with her as his tail just curled at the tip once more. Yawning, Kenya just laid on the side of the bed curling into a ball. Her tail slowly wrapped around her as to keep the warmth from escaping. Looking at the clock, Ratchet fell off the bed as he realized somebody needed a repair soon. Going to talk, he noticed that the woman had fallen asleep. Ratchet just walked out of the room quietly before running toward his workshop. Clank was not going to be happy with him. He was always running late for something.

"Is she okay, Ratchet?" asked Clank as he watched the Lombax fix a ship. "Miss Kenya seemed quite upset when you brought her to the house. Is there something wrong?"

"Kenya is fine," he answered without moving from his position. "And, as for her problem, some maniac came back from the dead to get revenge on her. It sounds like the same old, same old thing about saving the universe from a freak that wants to destroy something. Besides, you've been up for an adventure. How about we help our Tigerix friend get back home and as her original species? Sounds like a grand adventure, right?"

Clank could only nod as he heard the door open to the shop. Turning his head, he noticed that the young Tigerix had walked into the room. Yawning, she tilted her head as she noticed Ratchet underneath the ship. He must be fixing something. She had heard that Lombaxs' were fine mechanics of their time. The Tigerix figured he was a fine mechanic himself. Clank just coughed slightly to give warning to his friend that Kenya was awake. The Lombax just smacked his head off the ship as he tried to get from underneath it. The robot and Kenya just laughed at his misfortune. Ratchet just growled as he heard the two of them laugh. Rubbing his head, he just walked over before flopping in his chair. He just rubbed his head some more before looking at all his papers. The bills were slowly getting paid; he had only one more to pay. After the ship was fixed, he'd be able to pay the final bill. A smile stretched a mile on his face. After the bills were paid, he would be able to help Kenya with her problem of getting home as her correct species. Until then, she'd just keep living the present with the people that were with her at that moment. The future will come eventually. The past was already left behind. The Tigerix spent the rest of her day watching her friends as they fixed ships. It was a fun experience. Kenya definitely didn't mind her extended vacation at that moment.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Chapter three is a short chapter, but it has a heavy meaning to it. I live by this meaning sometimes, but I thought to share it as it was relevant to Kenya McClain. Heck, I think Ratchet saying it shows that he understands the meaning. After playing _Ratchet and Clank Future: Crack in Time_, I feel that Ratchet would understand this meaning very, very well. It was something to add in a chapter to help Kenya (and most likely himself).


	5. Chapter Four

**-Chapter Four: It's a Date-**

Ratchet just ran across his workshop as he tried to find a present that was bought for a special occasion. Clank just watched him in wild wonderment as he just sat on the present. The Lombax just lowered his ears as he realized it was in the most obvious place. Grabbing the present, he quickly jumped on his hover board to get to the hospital. Jumping over people walking on the streets, he made it to the hospital in record time. Running to the nurses' station, the Lombax huffed indefinitely as he pointed and stuttered, but no words would appear before the nurse's ears. The robot just frowned as she realized he wasn't spitting anything out. Ratchet took a deep breath, "I came to visit Mrs. Qwark; she just had a baby. I'm a friend of the father."

"Name?" the nurse replied as she grabbed a clipboard. "I need to make sure they have said you were allowed to visit at this moment."

"Ratchet and Clank," he answered. "We're his 'sidekicks' as he so kindly calls us. We got a call that the baby was born, so the both of us got here as soon as possible. Just, let us up there soon."

The nurse just nodded as she allowed them to use the elevator to the maternity ward. Ratchet just waved as he quickly ran to the machine. Clank just chuckled as he walked to the elevator. The baby wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Ratchet had all the time in the world. As the elevator opened, both stepped quietly in the ward. After asking a nurse about the room, the both of them entered to see the proud parents giggling over a new addition to their family. Qwark still wore his green spandex proudly. The Lombax and robot just cracked a smile as they realized that Qwark was proud of his father status. They just hoped he wouldn't let it go to his head. Qwark heard Clank's steps as he turned around. The new father smiled as he ushered them over to the see the baby. She was tucked in her mother's arms. Green eyes softened at the sight of a helpless child. Babies were absolutely amazing in his eyes.

"Isn't it wonderful, sidekick?" asked Qwark. "A new life was born into this world just a few hours ago. And, they'll be the best at life! I will teach her everything that I know to save the universe! One day, one day, she'll be as famous as me!"

"You keep working on that, Qwark," commented Ratchet. "I'm sure she'll be just fine with your guidance. Now, what is her name? Did you decide upon one? Congratulations, Crystal. How do you put up with him?"

Crystal just smiled as she heard Ratchet's questions. It was tough being the wife of Captain Qwark, but she loved to keep him grounded on one planet. She gently cradled her child as she had started to stir. Blue eyes opened to look at her mother. The baby started to cry as she was hungry. Mrs. Qwark just laughed as she looked at the three in the room, "I hate to be rude, but my dear Gloria seems to be hungry. If you don't mind, could you please leave the room? You to, Captain Qwark."

Ratchet and Clank nodded as they dragged the father out of the room. As soon as the door shut, they let him go as he moped around. The Lombax, as Clank didn't have to eat, just went to a vending machine to see if the snacks were good. As he placed bolts in the slot, the guy noticed a familiar strawberry blonde tail. Kenya had left his home after the apartment was fixed with a security system. She felt a lot better with it installed. Clark hadn't been around in the city, but he probably didn't want to risk getting caught. Most villains weren't that smart. Walking over, he noticed that she was talking to a nurse. Thoughts crossed him mind. The most prominent was the reason for her being in the maternity ward of the hospital. He just walked closer before grabbing her tail to scare the Tigerix. Kenya jumped as she felt her tail being grabbed. She smacked her assaulter as Ratchet caught her fist. He just smiled innocently as she growled her response. The Tigerix just huffed as she turned toward the nurse, "I'm sorry. Anyway, as I was saying, I'm just generally irritated with life at the moment. Everything just wants to make me snap. All the doctors I talked to told me that the maternity ward would help. Can you? It's just _really _annoying. I've never felt this way before."

"Never?" the nurse asked. "Aren't you a little late then, miss? It's not uncommon, but at your age, it is quite rare. Maybe we should see if you are alright. I'll see if we can schedule an apartment with one of the doctors with this ward. Please, just wait a minute."

The nurse turned away as Kenya just growled. She didn't want to see another doctor. What the hell did the robotic bitch mean? She just flexed her fingers of one hand as the claws came out. Ratchet's ears moved up as he looked over her shoulder. Kenya just looked at him annoyed. He just rolled his eyes before picking up a pen. Kenya just snatched it from him as she snapped it with her hand. The Lombax just backed away before returning to the vending machine. She just sighed as she realized he knew the same thing that _everybody _else knew that she didn't quite understand. The woman wasn't a Tigerix by birth. Clank and Qwark appeared around the corner as they spotted Kenya by the nurses' station. The woman just glared at them as she went to sit in one of the chairs as she waited for the nurse to come back for a scheduled appointment. The hero and robot looked at Ratchet as he opened his snack from the machine.

"What?" he asked. "Have neither of you ever seen a severely pissed off feline in heat? She's going to be like that for a couple of days. Of course, I do believe Miss Kenya doesn't even _know _herself. Isn't that right, Kenya? By the look of it, it seems you have never been in heat before. Weird species you have there."

"Humans are not a weird species," she hissed. "The females of my species do go into _heat_. We just don't show it in weird ways. Yes, we do PMS, but not as severely as wanting to snap your head off right this second. I'm _not _in the mood, Ratchet. What the hell are you doing here anyway? I'm sure you aren't having a child. If you were, I bet I could make a lot of bolts off of you. I'd be rolling in them!"

Ratchet just sighed as he realized she was going to be very unpleasant the next few weeks. He, honestly, has never been around a female in heat in his entire life. He didn't even encounter them while dating Angela and Sasha. He shook his head to clear his mind of thoughts before going to introduce the person behind him. Kenya just raised her eyebrow at the green spandex wearing alien. She just slouched in her seat as he began to introduce a new character to her, "Kenya, this is Captain Qwark. He recently married (don't ask me how), and their first child has just arrived. I had come to visit the baby as they had called to inform of Gloria's arrival. Now, if you don't be so kind, I will be going back to that room to give them the gift that I had left on the table farther across the room. Good day, Kenya."

The three of them went to return to the room when Kenya spoke softly toward them. Clank turned around as the other two didn't hear her. She just sighed as her arms found a way to hug her knees. Such things are always new to her. She doesn't mean to snap. It was her inert reaction to snap due to the _heat _part of her biology. Kenya shuddered at the word; she really sounded as if she was a true animal. Her four fingers flexed as she moved them around. Claws came out as she inspected them. They were nice and sharp. If she wasn't scared, the woman probably could have used them to get away from Clark when he attacked. She shuddered once again; Clark was not going to be on her mind. He was going for useless revenge as Clank had explained to her. He would lose eventually. Clank just sat on a chair next to her as she looked at him.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I wanted to see the baby," she answered. "Babies amaze me. They are such small creatures that grow to be something like me, you know? It's just absolutely amazing. Do you think I could see the baby?"

"I do not see why not," he answered. "Please, follow me. I'm sure Crystal wouldn't mind being introduced to you. She loves to meet new people. Of course, as a warning, she is a matchmaker. Two people that are felines … one a Lombax and the other always mistaken as one … she would start to formulate ideas. I'm sure that warning you well in advanced would be beneficial."

"Don't worry about that," she commented. "I'm done with the whole dating, relationship, and love thing for quite some time. Clark ripped my heart out when he cheated on me. You don't have to worry about me being hooked up with somebody I met five weeks ago. I barely know the guy. Well, go on, show me to the room. I want to see the baby!"

Clank just chuckled as he showed her to the room that Crystal and Gloria were currently resting. Kenya quietly stepped into the room as Ratchet turned to look at her. He just rolled his eyes and huffed before paying attention to Gloria. She was currently sleeping in the bed provided for her. Kenya walked beside him as she looked at the baby. She was really cute. The Tigerix just smiled as she gently touched the newborn's face. The baby moved slightly but she didn't wake from her slumber. The fur probably felt warm to the baby. Kenya just giggled as she felt the baby grab her finger. Babies were absolutely adorable. Ratchet just stared at the Tigerix as she continued to interact with Gloria. He had never seen her so content since she arrived on the planet. Crystal woke to see another person in the room. She smiled as she realized it was the Tigerix her robot friend was telling her about a few days ago. She found her quite beautiful in her own way. The new mother just smiled to herself as she noticed the two felines interacting with each other at the same time. Kenya would growl as Ratchet would say something to her; it seemed never ending to the self-proclaimed matchmaker. An idea was already stirring in her mind; an idea to help her friend get a girl to love him as much as he will love her. Clank saw her look, and he just had to shake his head. The woman was thinking of an idea. One that would either favor the two felines or make them farther apart.

"So, Ratchet," Crystal began, clasping her hands, "why don't we go out after I'm out of the hospital? Clank is willing to watch Gloria for a few hours. You could bring your female friend along to introduce her to me fully. What do you say? I mean if you are busy it is quite alright, but I thought it would be a lot of fun."

Ratchet just nodded to her suggestion. He thought it was a good idea to show Kenya around more of the town. He figured she only knew the way to the bank, her apartment, and his house. Kenya just smiled to the idea and to the baby. She wouldn't mind babysitting if Crystal and Qwark needed a break; babysitting was a lot of fun when she used to do it as a teenager. It was a good way to make more bolts at the same time. A fun part-time job was something that she really needed at her present moment. Crystal just smiled brightly as she noticed both of them agreed to the date. None of them knew her plan which was perfect for her. She decided to finish speaking her plan, "We will go to one of the restaurants in the upper courts. You'll have to dress for the restaurants. Hope you have nice clothes."

Kenya choked on her air as she turned to look at Crystal. She would have to wear a dress. The Tigerix tried to avoid those things like the plague. She hated to wear dresses; she felt too exposed in one. Of course, she had agreed to go on the outing, so buying one was mandatory. Looking around, she nudged Ratchet slightly in the side. He jumped slightly before looking at her. They weren't as mad at each other as before, so talking civilly was a gift for them. He just quirked an eyebrow at her elbow nudges. She leaned closer to whisper in his ear, "Can you help me find a dress? Or at least a dress shop? I don't like wearing dresses, so shopping for one is going to be interesting. Are you willing to help me?"

"It's a date," he whispered back before turning his attention toward Crystal and Qwark. "Congrats guys. Here, I had gotten a gift for Gloria, but I suppose it is a gift for you, Crystal. It can be used for Gloria."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Long chapters and short chapters, my oh my. Anyway, this story is officially 9,096 words without the next few words of the author's note. I will have the next update on Thursday. University had just started, so I will try to get a couple of chapters done before the Thursday update, so I will have more updates ready for the next week. I'm really happy with the story. Four chapters in and there is a villain that had disappeared, a baby born, and a date about buying dresses. Not to mention Crystal's matchmaking scheme. Kenya really isn't interested in the dating life at the moment. Maybe, she'll change her mind. Who knows?


End file.
